The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) awarded funding to more than 60 U.S. agricultural organizations to help expand commercial export markets for American products. The funding was made available through the 2014 Farm Bill. USDA will begin accepting applications for 2015 export development program funding on April 17, 2014.
Through the Market Access Program (MAP), FAS partners with U.S. agricultural trade associations, cooperatives, state regional trade groups, and small businesses to share the costs of overseas marketing and promotional activities that help build commercial export markets for U.S. agricultural products and commodities. The program, which focuses on consumer promotion, including brand promotion for small companies and cooperatives, is used extensively by organizations promoting fruits, vegetables, nuts, processed products, and bulk and intermediate commodities. Through MAP, FAS will provide $171.8 million to 62 nonprofit organizations and cooperatives.
The Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program focuses on trade servicing and trade capacity building by helping to create, expand and maintain long-term export markets for U.S. agricultural products. Under FMD, FAS will allocate $24.6 million to 22 trade organizations that represent U.S. agricultural producers. FAS partners with U.S. agricultural producers and processors, who are represented by nonprofit commodity or trade associations called cooperators. The organizations, which on average contribute nearly triple the amount they receive in federal resources, will conduct activities that help maintain or increase the demand for U.S. agricultural commodities overseas.
Interested applicants are encouraged to apply via the Unified Export Strategy online application system. Information is available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/unified-export-strategy. Applications can also be emailed to podadmin@fas.usda.gov or hand-delivered to: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Office of Trade Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 6512-S, Washington, D.C. 20250. New applicants are encouraged to email podadmin@fas.usda.gov to request more information. Applicants must have a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number for federal assistance, which can be obtained online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by phone, (866) 705-5711.
The organizations selected for allocations are below:
| Market Access Program - 2014 Allocations | |
| Participant | FY 2014 Allocation |
| American Hardwood Export Council, APA - The Engineered Wood Association, Softwood Export Council, and Southern Forest Products Association | $8,996,182 |
| Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute | $3,560,749 |
| American Peanut Council | $2,235,570 |
| American Pistachio Growers/Cal-Pure Pistachios, Inc. | $1,380,409 |
| American Seed Trade Association | $229,118 |
| American Sheep Industry Association | $421,340 |
| American Soybean Association | $4,523,434 |
| American Sweet Potato Marketing Institute | $200,000 |
| Blue Diamond Growers/Almond Board of California | $4,729,064 |
| Brewers Association, Inc. | $600,895 |
| California Agricultural Export Council | $1,228,525 |
| California Cherry Marketing and Research Board | $519,189 |
| California Cling Peach Growers Advisory Board | $444,892 |
| California Grape and Tree Fruit League | $428,800 |
| California Pear Advisory Board | $442,081 |
| California Prune Board | $2,668,406 |
| California Table Grape Commission | $3,093,070 |
| California Walnut Commission | $3,902,619 |
| Cherry Marketing Institute | $204,115 |
| Cotton Council International | $15,423,937 |
| Cranberry Marketing Committee | $1,561,170 |
| Distilled Spirits Council | $401,630 |
| Florida Department of Citrus | $3,885,364 |
| Food Export Association of the Midwest USA | $9,637,643 |
| Food Export USA Northeast | $8,138,985 |
| Ginseng Board of Wisconsin | $167,539 |
| Hop Growers of America | $310,320 |
| Intertribal Agriculture Council | $642,528 |
| Mohair Council of America | $45,759 |
| National Association of State Departments of Agriculture | $3,533,072 |
| National Confectioners Association | $965,826 |
| National Pecan Growers Council | $487,035 |
| National Potato Promotion Board | $3,647,427 |
| National Renderers Association | $871,872 |
| National Sunflower Association | $1,119,044 |
| National Watermelon Promotion Board | $290,367 |
| New York Wine and Grape Foundation | $484,886 |
| Northwest Wine Promotion Coalition | $988,092 |
| Organic Trade Association | $746,912 |
| Pear Bureau Northwest | $2,926,873 |
| Pet Food Institute | $1,361,288 |
| Raisin Administrative Committee | $827,922 |
| Southern United States Trade Association | $5,874,329 |
| Sunkist Growers, Inc. | $2,372,577 |
| Synergistic Hawaii Agriculture Council | $388,412 |
| The Popcorn Board | $369,806 |
| U.S. Apple Export Council | $712,727 |
| U.S. Dairy Export Council | $4,084,503 |
| U.S. Dry Bean Council | $1,147,741 |
| U.S. Grains Council | $6,731,882 |
| U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association | $49,548 |
| U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. | $1,538,250 |
| U.S. Meat Export Federation | $14,073,511 |
| U.S. Wheat Associates | $5,973,322 |
| USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council | $850,359 |
| USA Poultry and Egg Export Council | $4,952,183 |
| USA Rice Federation/U.S. Rice Producers Association | $2,735,162 |
| Washington Apple Commission | $4,930,752 |
| Washington State Fruit Commission | $1,561,810 |
| Welch Foods, Inc. | $834,411 |
| Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association | $8,097,508 |
| Wine Institute | $6,322,046 |
| Total | $171,874,788 |
| Foreign Market Development Program - 2014 Allocations | |
| Cooperator | FY 2014 Allocation |
| Almond Board of California | $125,045 |
| American Hardwood Export Council, APA - The Engineered Wood Association, Softwood Export Council, and Southern Forest Products Association | $2,655,416 |
| American Peanut Council | $533,746 |
| American Seed Trade Association | $185,722 |
| American Sheep Industry Association | $123,798 |
| American Soybean Association | $5,198,548 |
| Cotton Council International | $3,199,712 |
| Cranberry Marketing Committee | $153,754 |
| Leather Industries of America | $210,730 |
| National Renderers Association | $682,463 |
| National Sunflower Association | $212,505 |
| North American Millers Association | $54,594 |
| U.S. Dairy Export Council | $442,188 |
| U.S. Dry Bean Council | $100,313 |
| U.S. Grains Council | $2,439,510 |
| U.S. Hide, Skin and Leather Association | $91,952 |
| U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. | $535,518 |
| U.S. Meat Export Federation | $1,081,750 |
| U.S. Wheat Associates | $4,176,733 |
| USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council | $157,661 |
| USA Poultry and Egg Export Council | $1,014,940 |
| USA Rice Federation | $1,267,187 |
| Total | $24,643,785 |